Cold diffuser



June 29, 1943. i r c. M. ASH LEY 2,323,176

- COLD DIFFUSER 'F'iled Aug. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

FIG.2.

ATTORNEY.

June 29, 1943. c. M. ASHLEY v 2,323,176

COLD DIFFUSER Filed Aug. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

GJ'LMQOM'V BY ATTORNEY.

June 29, 1943. ASHLEY 2,323,176

COL'D DIFFUSER I Filed Aug. 21-, 1941 5 speets sheet 5 Id 9: LL

' 1 6 I INVENTOR. BY 40% I r ATTORNEY.

messed June 29, 1943 2,323,176 com) mnmsnn Carlyle M. Ashley,-Syracuse, N. 1L, assl noito s Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. -Y., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationAugust 2'1, 1941,sem1-No.;4o7,a1 9

(oi. 62-129)j j 6 Claims.

This invention relates to cold diffuser units.

A general object of the invention is to provide a cold diffuser unit which will be superior in performa'nce, less expensive in first cost and; cost of operation; afiord'better air distribution,pro-

vlde greater adjustability, guard against theformation of condensation on outer surfaces,

mitigate frosting, V and otherwise provide advantages in flexibility, construction and appearance.

A feature of the invention'resides-in the provision of a novel'method of mounting a fan motor within a cold diffuser unit whereby the motor Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating, in

plan, the 7 relationship of refrigerant supply and return lines and their posltioning with respect 7 to the'tube sheets; and

may easily be levelled and the structure also provide a suitable guard about the fan.

Another feature covers the provision of top and bottom 'sheets'formed substantially identically and positioned in combinationwith 2. casing member so arranged that all of the elements may easily be assembled and the bottom sheet serve'as a collecting pan desirably spaced from the casing member.

Another feature covers the useof an innerdrain pan in combination'with a casing meniber, a bottom sheet being spaced from the inner drain pan to collect such drip as may accumulate on the outside walls of the casing member. Another feature provides for positioning an outside casing member from an inside tube sheet whereby air may' pass' from inside the unit through perforations in the tubesheet in a course between the tub sheet and outside cas-' ing, thus bypassing the coils within the unit and serving to insulate the outer casing to prevent the formation of condensation thereon.

Another feature provides for positioning re-- frigerant supply and discharge lines in heat interchange relationship and in contact with tube sheets, thus to mitigate against frosting by furthering an increase in heat exchange through greater conduction.

Other features will be more apparent from the following detailed description of one form of'applicants invention to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of applicant's cold difiusr in assembled form, adapted to be hung from the ceiling or a'supporting'structure at the upper level of an enclosure.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary view, partly broken away, showing the relation of a tube sheet with respect to the outer casing.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary'view, showing the manner of mounting the motor, as well as housing the motor and fan.

Fig. 5 is another fragmentary view, in section, showing the 'interpositioning and interchange' arrangement of Fig. 4. I v f Fig. 6 is a view in plan with 'the top sh'eet of the casing removed, indicating the courses of air flow-through and bypassing the evaporator coils of applicant's cold' diffuser. 7

Considering the drawings, similar designationsreferririg'to'similar parts, numeral-6 gen erally designatesa cold diffuser unitequipped with brackets or hangers for attaching the unit'to the "ceiling orstructure' at the ceiling level of the room or enclosure wherein the unit is to be employed. Y

The body of the unit comprises top casing sheet or'member 8, bottom member 9, intermedi- Y ate sidememb'ers llL'coils ll, of plate fin construction or equivalentfoutlet I2; all assembled together as shown in Fig. 1. Attached to-therear of the body is motor and fan assembly generally designated by the numeral l3. I

In practice, e'fan delivers air from the room to the interior of'the unit where'it is reduced in temperature by contact with the evaporator coils "ll; thereupon being discharged from the unit'with desired directional effect,- depending upon the position of vertical and horizontal vanes 14 and ii of outlet l2. With this type of outlet, having "both horizontal and vertical I adjustability as shown for example'in U. S.-Patent No. 2,206,995, the air maybe directed so that it will not strike the product. Instead, it may be directed toward the top of the box orenclosure I wherein the unit is positioned and spread out sideways, with the result'that a-gentle'return stream will pass over the product; on the other \I hand, where quick chilling is desired, the air): may be concentrated directlyuponthe product to be chilled or -frozen,-thus accelerating'the chilling action and, in the case of carcass chill-.-

ing, serving to reduce the shrinkage due to moisture loss. With this type of distribution, assur- 7, ing proper directional effect, the room may be blanketed with the supply. stream, thereby serving to promote the, absorption 'ofnheat vat its source.

The coil surfaces l'l arepreferably equipped with plate fins lfi to provide'maximum heat/ dissipation. 'Th coils may be suitably osi tioned and connected to 'a'source of refrigerant supply. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, refrigerant are located at the bottom ends of the tube supportv sheets and due to the positioning of the linesin contact with each other and with the tube sheets, building up of frost at saidpoints of contact is retarded and often entirely 'pre-' vented because of the dissipation-which takes place due to such interchange positioning. The

added conduction through the great area of the.

tube sheets and finsin contact with the tube sheets thus affords an effective means for the mltigationof frosting.

Considering the construction of. the casing, topand bottom sheets! and lmay be formed from the same die, thus making for economy bolts and cushion mounting means 33. The'extremities of arms 28 are suitably threaded so that by means of adjusting nuts 34, the platform 3| may be adjusted and levelled as desired.

' The fan is suitably driven by the motor. through a ment 35. A suitable drip pan 36, (Fig. 1) posi-- tioned beneath the expansion valve assembly shaft and coupling arrange- 31 may serv to drain intobottom casing sheet 8. The term by'-pass partition when used in the clalmsis intended to indicate the combinationof upper and lower tube support sheets i8,

extension bailie plates 31 and 38, plus outer-most plate-fins, such combination of elements forming in fabrication. The intermediate side members iil'are formed with a bead- III: against which top sheet 8 mayrrest- Intermediate'side members III,

which constitute the opposite sides of the casing, are connectedto inner drain pan 24; which has a drain opening 22. Bottom sheet 9 is spaced from collectlngpan. 2i and also projects beyond the side members III, as is indicated at 23. Thus, if.

any condensation occurs on the outside of the' unit, the drip will becollected'in'bottom casing sheet 9 and drainthrough opening 24 "which also receives the drip fromfope'ning 22.

Condensation on the-outside of the-unit is sub? stantially .eifectively prevented by, spacing the outer side members l0 from front and rear extension baflie plates 31 and 38, and providing said plates with perforations 25. The ba'iile platesli and-38; are in alignment with and attachedto tube support sheets i9; and are also in alignment with the outer-most plate fins it. 'As a resultf the equivalent of a partition is I substantially formed at'both sides of the coilsection and extending beyond the coil section at each end thereof. While the outer-most plate fins in combination with the tube support sheets provide a solid partition, the extensions consisting of baiiie plates 31 and 38, containing perforations 25, permit a relatively small volum ofv air supplied by thefan to pass through the rear perforations andflowlin the space between the par- 'tition'and side members I0 toand through the front perforations and then from the 'unit through the outlet i2. Such spacing arrangement provides a bypass around most of the coil area and the air flowing through this bypass serves as an insulatingblanket to prevent condensation on the outer sides ID. The course of air flow throughcoils I i and bypassing the coils a barrier or partition at opposite'sides of unit, as hereinbefore described.

- Since-many changes maybe made in the invention without departing from its scope, it is intended that all. matter set forth in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsbe' regarded as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

1. A unit of the character describedincluding a top casing member, a bottom casing member. aseries of collswithin 'the unit, by-pass partitions onopposite sides of said series of coils, side casing members, said by-pass partitions being positioned'inspaced relationto said side casing members, means for permittingairto pass from one side of a by-pass partition to the other side there f and means for routing air through the unit so that some ofthe air, will pass in contact with the coils and another'portionby-passthe' coils by entering the space between'the 'bypass V partitions andthe side casing members.

2. In a cold diffusing unit}; a'pair of easing members similarly formed. one of said casing members forming the topsheet. of the unit and th other of said members forming the bottom:

, sheet thereof, an intermediate side member hav:

ing a beadjformed adjacent the top edge thereof.

'. the top sheet being adapted to rest against said I bead. plate flnned coils positioned within the.

is shown by' the dash-dot lines in Fig. 6. Due

unit between said sheets, tubgsupport sheets positioned in contact with the outer most plate fins servingsaid coils, extension baflie plates positioned in alignment with said outer most fins and tube support sheets and attached to said tube support sheets, said extension bailie plates being. formed with one flat portion thereof positioned substantially against the top sheet. and

meansforfastening together said flat portion 1 and top sheet. 1

3. In a .cold diffuser unit having a top sheet,

bottom sheet, and; side members, a coil formation within the -unit, tube'sheets, the coils of said spaced from the side members, the top and bottom of'said coil formation being spaced respecin'th nature of an insulating blanket of air for V.

the prevention ofcondensation on the bottom of the unit. I 1

The motor and fanasse'mbly, best illustrated in Fig. 3, includes a guard cage 2 positioned tively from said top sheet and bottom sheet, perforations in said tube sheets, and means for supplying air to the unit in such manner that some of itpasses through-in a course bypassing mounting for the motor and fan. Ringzlis connected by arms 29 to rear member 30 of the unit.

about fan 21. The guard cage also serves as a the coil formation to prevent the formation of condensationion the outer surfaces of the unit.

4. In a cold diffuser unit of the character de scribeda casing, acoil formation within the casing, atube supportingssheet arrangement serving the coils of said coil formation, a refrigerant supply line and a refrigerantsuction line arranged to supplyrefrigerant to. and withdraw refrigerplurality of tube supporting sheets, said lines being positioned adjacent to and running lengthwise of said tube supporting sheets, at least one of said lines being in contact with the tube supporting sheets, whereby increased conduction from the lines will take place to prevent frost formation thereon.

6. A cold difluser structure comprising a casing, coils within the casing, means for supplying refrigerant to and withdrawing refrigerant from the coils, a fan and motor'assembly mounted at the rear end of the casing, an outlet arrangement at th front end of the casing, said assembly including a ring, a platform positioned within and secured to the ring, a motor removably mounted upon the platform, a plurality of arms, more than two in number, attached to the ring and to a rear" member of the casing, adjusting devices on each of the arms for varying the effective length of each arm in such manner that the position of the ring may be shifted and the level of the platform varied. CARLYLE M. ASHLEY. 

